By: Dede Hendra Setiawan

Tarakan - The North Kalimantan Provincial Government in collaboration with WWF Indonesia held a training on GIS (Geographic Information System) application for Spatial Planning and Conservation. The training is aimed at Provincial and District Spatial Planning technical personnel in the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Region of North Kalimantan.

The training was conducted at Swiss Bel Tarakan Hotel, August 11-13, 2015 and attended by 23 participants who were representatives of each relevant agency such as BAPPEDA, Public Works Agency, Forestry and Plantation Agency and Environment Agency from North Kalimantan Province, Bulungan, Malinau and Nunukan Districts and Tarakan City. The purpose of this training is to increase the capacity of Spatial Planning technical personnel in understanding conservation issues and their application in GIS. This is very useful in realizing sustainable development in North Kalimantan. The participants were given an understanding of the material, discussed it, and practiced it through GIS. Some of the materials and practices provided were High Conservation Value (HCV/NKT), Erosion and Sedimentation, and Deforestation.

The resource person in this training was Professor Dr. Sigit Hardwinarto, Professor of the Faculty of Forestry, Mulawarman University. He provided material related to erosion and sedimentation analysis for spatial planning. Meanwhile one of the presenters, Syachraini who is a WWF-ID staff, provided material related to High Conservation Value (HCV / NKT) starting with a talk related to forest cover, deforestation and its causes, definitions and identifying HCV / NKT and what are the benefits in spatial and regional planning.

Head of BAPPEDA of North Kalimantan Province, Ir. Frederick Ellia Gugkang, MA in his speech at the closing of this activity said that GIS and border area spatial planning are important points in the HoB initiative protection area. The government is committed to supporting the HoB initiative and the work of the parties in North Kalimantan Province. He also hopes that in the future, good cooperation will continue and be improved between the North Kalimantan Provincial Government and WWF Indonesia in realizing the vision of conservation and sustainable development in the HoB area.

This activity is part of WWF Indonesia's support for the HoB initiative and the commitment of the North Kalimantan government in realizing equitable, sustainable and responsible development. It is hoped that the training participants can continue to deepen the knowledge and knowledge provided and be used as a basis for providing input or consideration for development in North Kalimantan Province.